Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has blocked the promotions of four Army officers selected for one-star rank, according to reports confirmed on Friday. Some of the affected officers have professional connections to senior generals who were removed from their positions by Hegseth earlier this year. A U.S. official speaking on the condition of anonymity stated that the blocked list includes individuals with ties to former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George and Gen. Chris Donahue, the commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa who was ousted in June.
The move follows a series of leadership changes initiated by the defense secretary since taking the lead role at the Pentagon early last year. Hegseth removed Gen. George in April. Additionally, Hegseth ordered the removal of Col. David Butler, an advisor to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, in February. The Army also saw the retirement of Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Mingus in October, who was replaced by Gen. Christopher LaNeve, a former military advisor to Hegseth.
Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated on Friday that military promotions are awarded to those who have earned them and that this standard remains unchanged under Hegseth. The decision to block these specific promotions follows an earlier intervention where Hegseth removed four other officers—two women and two Black men—from a promotion list. While allies of the secretary state that gender and race are not factors in these decisions, former military leaders, including Ret. Lt. Gen. Richard Newton, have described the actions as unwarranted and unprecedented.
This decision affects four senior Army colonels whose advancement to the rank of brigadier general has been halted. While the specific names of the four officers were not released, the move involves individuals selected by the Army's promotion boards. The action occurs as the Army has lacked a Senate-confirmed chief of staff since April, leaving Gen. LaNeve to serve in an acting capacity.
Hegseth has removed at least two senior military officers and various advisors over the past year. This friction has contributed to a reported "turf war" between Hegseth and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll. Driscoll is looking to leave his post around the end of 2026, though he is reportedly open to departing as early as Labor Day. The White House has requested he remain through the November midterm elections.
Critics, such as Ret. Lt. Gen. Newton, suggest these interventions could affect the "good order of discipline" within the military ranks. The next steps for the acting chief of staff depend on the Senate, where Gen. LaNeve requires unanimous support from Republican senators to advance his nomination. Additionally, Hegseth is considering Sean Parnell as a potential successor to Driscoll.